The present invention generally relates to routing interfaces and, more specifically, to a method for providing an optimized interface for non-routed point-to-point sessions.
In traditional edge routers, point-to-point (PPP) sessions are generally treated as virtual links. Each host connected to a router via a PPP session (virtual link) is provided a corresponding interface. Typically, when implemented in software, an interface is represented by an interface data structure that contains all the interface parameters. These parameters depend on the physical media properties and other information related to the proper functioning of the interface. Having an interface data structure for each virtual link, however, consumes significant memory and other computing resources.
Typically, all interfaces are routed interfaces. These interfaces are similar to any other interface on a router. These kinds of interfaces (virtual links) are very common for edge routers, which support a high number of PPP host subscribers. In most cases, it is not necessary to run complete set of routing protocols on these virtual links because most of them are connected to a single PPP end point and no further routing of traffic is needed. For example, individual computers connected to a server of an Internet service provider are typically used only to receive and transmit traffic between such computers and the server. These computers do not typically route any traffic received from the server to another computer. Consequently, the virtual link between such a computer and the server carries only data or non-routing traffic; in other words, no routing control traffic is transmitted. Since no routing control traffic is transmitted, much of the interface data structure for a virtual link remains unused thereby resulting in waste of computing resources.
Hence, it would be desirable to develop a method that is capable of an optimized interface for a virtual link in non-routed scenarios under which running of routing protocols is not expected.